Story Contest 2019
by TheWanderingMist
Summary: A collection of one-shots for a contest. All three entries complete.
1. Chapter 1

Untitled Heat Story

Endless, pristine white dunes? Check.

Cloudless blue sky? Check.

Sun blazing brightly far above? Check.

Temperature? 45 degrees Fahrenheit. Something was definitely wrong with Haina Desert. The blonde girl double-checked the thermometer. The temperature had been dropping steadily for the past few days. She shook her head and looked at her companion, a small, green, jelly-like creature with a red crystal embedded in its core that was being carried in her bag.

"Where do you think all the heat's gone, Squishy? Deserts aren't supposed to be this cold." She shivered as a gust of wind blew past.

"I told you to wear warmer clothes for this, Bonnie. This level of heat is quite worrying. Haina Desert is a fisher kingdom."

"What does that mean?" Bonnie pulled a dark jacket out of her bag and wrapped it around herself.

"Hmm, the best way to put it, is that the health of Tapu Bulu has a physical effect on Haina Desert. When Tapu Bulu is doing well, the desert functions as normal. When it falls ill, the desert undergoes an ecological crisis, and vice versa, the state of the desert can affect Tapu Bulu's health. The same is true of the other island guardians. Koko is connected to Iki Town, Lele to Wela Volcano, and Fini to Vast Poni Canyon. The guardian deity of Ulu'Ulu must be in very poor health at this very moment."

"And we've been sent to figure out the cause. Why us?"

"To prove yourself, of course. Whatever you asked of Arceus, it seems that this is the task you must carry out in order to fulfill your wish, which you've kept hidden from me for all this time."

"It's supposed to be a big surprise, silly."

The duo made their way through the desert, heading for the Ruins of Abundance, the habitual residence of Tapu Bulu. As they traveled, Bonnie checked the temperature every so often. After an hour, the temperature was forty degrees. White patches of snow began to appear on the ground. Two more hours. The white patches had given way to an unending white blanket of soft and crisp snow and the temperature had fallen to thirty degrees and stabilized there. Snow was falling harder now. .Bonnie hugged her jacket more tightly to her body, trying to keep warm.

The Ruins of Abundance were coming into view. Massive cliffs of rock, topped with out-of-place pristine snow. The snow was falling heavily now, making it impossible to distinguish the identities of two silhouetted figures at the base of the central rock. Bonnie gasped as the creatures came into view. There, at the base of the rock, encased in thick, translucently blue ice, was Tapu Bulu, the island guardian. And standing in front of it, blasting it with its powerful icy breath, was the Boundary Pokemon, Kyurem. Kyurem's head pricked up, having heard the sharp intake of Bonnie's breath. The large dragon turned around to stare at the duo.

Squishy jumped out of the bag. A green glow surrounded Squishy, and streaks of light strode across the sky toward his small form. His body grew larger, and took on the shape of a black dog with green patches here and there, and a green scarf that flailed in the blustery wind. He growled at Kyurem while pacing around Bonnie. And then came the wave.

An undulating pulse emanated from Kyurem. The pulse was clear but visible. It moved too rapidly to dodge out of the way. It passed through Squishy and Bonnie harmlessly, though Bonnie dropped to her knees in shock, Squishy using his body to prevent her from fully falling. And one word was imprinted directly onto their minds.

RUN.

"K-kyurem, I don't understand. Aren't you the reason Haina Desert has lost all its heat? Didn't you freeze Tapu Bulu?" She struggled to her feet.

"Bonnie, GET DOWN!" Squishy knocked the blonde girl into the bed of snow. She saw a shape crash into Squishy at high speed, sending him flying toward the ruins. The shape chased after Squishy's reeling body and Bonnie gave pursuit. Squishy crashed into the rock next to Tapu Bulu. Bonnie tried to approach, but was held back by Kyurem. The thing that had attacked Squishy stood in front of his unmoving body. Bonnie peered closer to determine what it was.

Keldeo stood there, proud and dark. The Colt Pokemon was cackling like mad. Its eyes were burning coals and its red mane lashed about in the wind, looking for all the world like blood come to life. It snorted and wheezed and pawed at the ground with its hoof. It charged toward Squishy, who dodged out of the way just in time for Keldeo to lodge its horn into the rock where it lodged firmly. Keldeo's cackling grew wilder and louder as it struggled to free its horn.

Squishy walked slowly back to Bonnie. The Order Pokemon was heavily injured from Keldeo's attack.

"Bonnie...take a close look at Tapu Bulu," he groaned quietly.

Bonnie did as requested and went to investigate. Inside the ice, she saw the Land Spirit Pokemon, island guardian Tapu Bulu. Its eyes were closed and its hooves were clasped together as if in prayer. On its left side was a grievous wound, a hole that was dark with blood. The loss of heat in the desert had not been from Kyurem. Kyurem had merely successfully put a stopper on the injury as they had approached to find and fix the problem. Bonnie knew what had to be done, and softly tapped a PokeBall to the crystallized Tapu Bulu. A flash of light engulfed the island guardian, and the PokeBall wobbled not a single time before giving its signature dinging which signified capture.

"Kyurem...please take Tapu bulu to the nearest Pokemon Center." The large gray Pokemon took the PokeBall in its mouth and stomped off into the distance.

In the background, Keldeo was growing more frantic. Its horn had not budged despite all of its efforts. Its cackling grew even louder and its horn began to glow a dark, muddy red. Squishy ran up to Keldeo and attacked it, but the fourth Sword of Justice merely knocked him away with its hooves. Squishy took on a green glow once again as more lights began streaking across the sky and into Squishy. The black canine body morphed into a larger, green serpentine body with a black head. Squishy sluggishly moved toward Keldeo once again. He blasted the Water/Fighting type with a Dragonbreath attack. Keldeo did not react to the assault. Its horn had finished transforming, and was now much larger and cerulean in color. It shone with the sharpness of a freshly-forged blade. Keldeo scraped its new horn through the rock and freed itself. It charged toward Squishy and landed a powerful slashing attack with its horn. Squishy groaned in pain and blasted Keldeo away with a Dragon Tail, but Keldeo came right back, charging lightning fast. Squishy was too slow to dodge once again. This process continued to repeat for several minutes, and Squishy seemed to slow down as time went on. Squishy began to look very haggard.

_Why is he so slow? _thought Bonnie. _Squishy shouldn't be this slow._

She drew a sharp breath as the realization hit her. The heat. Or rather, the lack of it. Squishy was extremely sensitive to cold temperatures due to his Dragon/Ground typing. Bonnie started rushing toward Squishy as he blasted Keldeo away for the umpteenth time. Keldeo seemed stunned for the moment.

"Squishy, let's get out of here! There's not enough heat for you to move properly."

"Bonnie, get back! That thing is extremely dangerous!" roared Squishy.

"We need to get you out of here! You can't fight much longer! Come on!"

"Not until that thing is dealt with. Its reign of terror will end today."

"But, look, Squishy, it's already over."

Keldeo was not moving. Its body lay still in the snow. Squishy morphed back into his 10% Forme.

"Maybe you're right," he said. "I could do with some rest."

"That's my-MOVE!" Bonnie shoved Squishy with all her might as Keldeo ran fast as lightning toward the canine. Incredible pain shot through her body as Keldeo pierced her with its horn. She fell face-first onto the ground.

"BONNIE!" Squishy shouted with a thundering voice.

The blonde girl looked up at him, with half-lidded eyes. A small smile graced her lips.

"Seventeen years…" she muttered. "Not bad. I'd have liked to stay a little longer." Her eyes closed fully. "But what really matters, is that you, my most precious friend, are safe. Sorry I didn't listen to you about this. You'll make it through just fine. I know you will." Her smile widened. "I'll be watching you, Squishy. I love you." She collapsed fully, and her body grew still.

"What have you done?" growled Squishy in a low, cold voice. There was a tranquil fury in his tone. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!"

Streaks of light, green streaks of light, many more than had streaked across the sky before gathered around Squishy and his form changed. He grew larger and larger. He took on the shape of a black humanoid. Large bits of the humanoid were missing, giving it a skeletal appearance. Squishy towered over Keldeo, whose cackling reached a feverish pitch and became higher in tone, gaining a rasping quality. It locked eyes with Squishy and gave off a menacing grin, laced with razor-sharp teeth. The giant Squishy unleashed a huge burst of energy toward Keldeo, who deflected much of it with its newfound weapon.

"Arise, child." A calm, deep voice drifted through the air.

"Huh? Arceus?" Bonnie rubbed her eyes. She saw her body lying on the ground. "Am I dead?"

"For now," said the Alpha Pokemon. "To grant your wish, your death was necessary. You already proved yourself worthy all those years ago, when you fought the malevolent Team Flare and took the life of their leader. I foresaw that this task would lead you to death the quickest. The lack of heat accelerated it so the pain was not drawn out. Are you ready?"

"Yes. Thank you so very much for this. I promise to do right with it."

"I've foreseen great things in your future. Now watch closely."

Bonnie watched her body begin to dissipate on the ground. It dissolved into many distinct green cell-like creatures, with one larger one with yellow crystal in its center in the middle. Arceus shoved Bonnie's spirit toward the central creature. She felt herself being dragged in by some unseen force. Arceus walked calmly back into the sky, fading all the while.

Bonnie blinked. She couldn't feel her arms or legs. She then remembered she had none. She concentrated with all her might to rebuild her body from the newly-created Zygarde cells. Streaks of green light surrounded her, crisscrossing in all directions in a magnificent swirling aurora of viridian. She felt her arms and legs forming, bit by bit. The light dissipated. She was standing up again, her wound gone. A lock of hair fell in front of her eyes. Green. Her hair was green now. She would have to figure out how to fix that later. She ran toward the fight between Squishy and Keldeo. Both Pokemon looked extremely tired and were barely moving.

"Squishy!" cried Bonnie.

"GET BACK!" he roared. "You've just been killed, and your first idea is to come running here and…"

Bonnie smiled at the Order Pokemon.

"Bonnie! You're alive! And your hair has changed color. But how?"

"Remember that wish I didn't tell you? Turns out I had to die for Arceus to be able to grant it. And my hair isn't the only thing that's changed."

Bonnie began to dissipate, her cells fusing with Squishy's titanic skeletal form. Bit by bit, they filled in the missing parts. Zygarde 100% was complete once again.

"How do you like this, Squishy? Now we can fight together! Let's end this!"

"So this is why you kept it a surprise. Get ready, Bonnie!"

Keldeo stared up at the giant Pokemon. Its cackling had finally stopped, and its mane was no longer being blown about by the wind. Its eyes remained burning red embers. It began charging towards the duo. Squishy grabbed the Colt Pokemon with one claw. Bonnie transformed the other arm into a cannon and pointed it directly into Keldeo's face. A hot, burning sensation went through her as the cannon charged up its attack. The heat felt perfect after spending so long in the cold. The cannon grew hotter and hotter and glowed brighter and brighter. Keldeo began to scream. A desperate scream, a final wail.

BOOM!

A rush of fiery, draconic energy slammed into Keldeo point blank, incinerating it and continuing through the surrounding area. The snow melted and turned the ground to slushy mud. Bonnie and Squishy diffused into their separate bodies.

"Thank you, Bonnie. I wouldn't have won without your help."

"No need to thank me. It was supposed to be a fun surprise. I didn't mean to put you through all that worry."

"It's not like I had time to worry. You came back quickly. I was still enraged. Speaking of worry, we should check on Tapu Bulu."

The duo began walking out of Haina Desert.

"Yeah, I hope Kyurem got him to a Pokemon Center." Bonnie picked up her bag from where her body had lain. She checked the thermometer inside out of habit. Forty five degrees Fahrenheit. Heat was finally returning to Haina Desert.


	2. Chapter 2

Here again.

The street is hot and black and damp. There is steam rising off the pavement. Above, the night sky glitters with the light of a thousand stars. The city itself is decorated with streetlights and multicolored neon signs, beckoning weary travelers to rest within their domains. Hundreds of people rush about to and fro, dodging traffic and each other as they mutter to themselves. A woman carrying a Meowth bumps into me and whispers something as she struts away.

"Anything can be done for the right cause and currency."

I run to catch up with her but she has vanished. I've heard that line somewhere before. I'm in front of the Pokemon Center now and I step inside. The cool air inside washes over me like an ocean wave. It's easier to breathe in here. I walk up to the counter, behind which stands a Nurse Joy. This one has her hair done up in a ponytail. It must be her way of differentiating herself from her cousins, sisters, in-laws...I've given up on figuring out how their genetics even work. I hand her my three Poke Balls which she gladly takes. She reassures me that they will be just fine.

"After all, anything can be done for the right cause and currency."

A shiver goes down my spine. She is certainly not the woman who bumped into me earlier, but she knew the phrase. . I look around the room. The woman with the Meowth is nowhere to be seen. Nurse Joy hands me back my Poke Balls. That was fast. Too fast. I rush out the door.

My foot lands on something soft and white. I'm sitting in a Ferris wheel capsule. The floor is made from Mareep wool, I can tell by the roughness of the fabric. The seats, hwoever, are as hard as a Golem's shell. It's rather uncomfortable to sit in them. Across from me sits a young man, he looks maybe eighteen, twenty at the absolute oldest. He has long, mint-green hair and dull gray-blue eyes. I see something behind him. A faint outline of an older man is visible behind him, a man with three horns of gray-green hair jutting out from his head. The young man looks at me and tears begin welling up in my eyes. I know what he's about to say.

"Anything can be done for the right cause and currency."

I thrust a half-white, half-red feather at him and scream, "If anything can be done for the right cause and currency, then fix this!" The tears are getting worse now, I can't stop them.

"Anything can be-" he pauses.

"Anything can be-" he pauses again.

The young man fixates on the feather. He turns it over and over again in his hand, muttering the phrase to himself repeatedly. Softly and suddenly, the image of the older man shatters. The young man locks eyes with me. His have lost their dull gray and been sharpened into a brilliant blue. A blue that matches the eyes of the legendary white dragon of truth that manifested itself in place of the old man, Reshiram.

I jolt awake. Everything is fine. I'm still in my camp just outside Nimbasa City on Route 4. That dream...I've been having it ever since I received the Dark Stone from Lenora. It means something, but I can't figure out what. I don't know that young man, or the old man behind him. Or what that phrase means. Well, one thing I know. That feather is Rufflet. He can't fly. His previous Trainer was horribly abusive and clipped his wings too short too many times. The doctors don't even know if he'll regain the use of his wings when he evolves. And I'm helpless to do anything about it.

Tomorrow, I will be in Nimbasa City. I think my first stop should be the Ferris wheel.

-POV switch-

Zorua is being really playful this morning. He's not usually like this. More of a night owl than an early bird. He tugs at my sleeve and leads me outside. The sky is bright blue looking over dazzlingly white desert sand. In the distance stands the Relic Castle, famed monument of Unova's Desert Resort. Zorua is making strange noises, but they sound familiar.

Oh.

It's this dream again.

Two years it's been recurring, ever since I found the White Stone, and I still have not deciphered it. But if it _is_ this dream, then…

Yes, it is. Zorua is gone now. A brunette teenage girl with light blue eyes is staring at me. She starts silently toward the castle. I follow along, as always. She occasionally looks back, as if she is making sure that I am still there. As I step inside the castle, the scene changes.

We are in a Ferris wheel now, and she is sitting across from me, mumbling something floor is hard like a Gigalith's body, but the seats are as soft and fluffy as a Bouffalant's hair. We always end up here. And the next part is…

_Thump._

There it is. She has thrown it at me like she always does. It is a Pokemon doll. I cannot tell which species of Pokemon because it is too damaged. I can only tell that it is supposed to be a bird. She stares at me, then puts her face in her hands and sobs. She starts saying a certain phrase over and over.

"Anything can be done for the right cause and currency."

Those words...they are what my father always says. They are the motto of Team Plasma, which he founded with the intent of gathering currency to achieve his goal of liberating Pokemon from their Trainers. He always reminds me that there are many causes which never get far off the ground due to their lack of currency, and his plan was to gather up the currency first before moving on with his cause. They have not made much progress despite their riches.

I believe in that teaching, that adage wholeheartedly. But no matter how much I try, I cannot fix this girl's broken doll. I have thrown entire countries' worth of currency at this doll in the dream, and it still fails to be repaired. I cannot fathom why such a simple task is impossible to accomplish even with my vast amounts of imaginary wealth.

Lightning strikes. The girl is looking at me with cold determination, all traces of tears gone. Behind her looms a black shadow with red eyes. The legendary black dragon of ideals, Zekrom.

And she says something which shakes me to my very core.

"If currency isn't helping, perhaps your cause is not right."

I awaken, shivering. Zorua is curled up next to me sleeping. There is a faint hum of machinery below me, no doubt from Nimbasa City's Pokemon Center's newly-patented mechanical healers. I stroke Zorua's warm fur, then drift back off to sleep. I decide that, tomorrow, I will visit the Nimbasa City Ferris wheel.

END

-note section-

Author's note: I can't figure out how to get FF net to just accept a line of dashes to signify a POV switch, it just deletes them and makes things confusing. Apologies if it seems out of place.


	3. Chapter 3

"Horatius at the Bridge"

A poetical prose adaptation of "Horatius at the Bridge" by Thomas Babington Macaulay

Updated October 1st, 2019, to clear up some confusion that happened according to the reviews.

**WARNING: Due to the source material, way more violent than I usually write**

**/s/**

Silver clouds scuttled overhead, swept along by the wind. The people and Pokemon bustling about made plenty of noise, but were near-silent compared to the roar of the water. Many a ferry could be seen gracing Tohjo Port. Over the waves they carried passengers to the nearby shores of New Bark Town. A young boy ran toward the harbor. An old man desperately tried to keep up with him, to no avail. He caught up when the boy happened upon a small obelisk made of slate-gray stone.

"Gyora Tabai," he said, reading the words engraved on the monument. "What does that mean, Grandpa?"

"Oho!" cried the old man. "Have you not heard the story of Horatius the Ivysaur? Why, I daresay, it is the grandest tale of gallantry and honor of which anyone has heard. That inscription there means 'The Valor of Horatius'."

"Grandpa! Tell me the story!" shouted the young boy excitedly.

"Yes, of course. But let us first board the ferry."

The duo trotted onto the ferry. As luck would have it, a young Trainer had her Ivysaur out and about.

"Tell me! Tell me the story!" The boy fixed his eyes on the Ivysaur.

"Yes, yes. It was a long time ago, back when humans could understand Pokemon plain as day, back when Kanto and Johto were separated by no more than a mere wooden bridge and a raging river…"

/s/

"Avast!" cried Volsinia the Fearow. "Avast, and march to Tohjo, on the word of Martinores, lord of Pet." On the commands so spoken by the Fearow did the armies of Kanto march. Vast were they, as swathes descended from Cerul and Pet, from Safrin and Lave, and many more cities and towns, as the ground was trampled beneath their stamping feet.. A machine of war, on destruction utter and bent. To Tohjo they marched, steady as steady can be, and soon were within sight of Johto's shores. A clamor went through the ranks, as they came to a halt. Their great king Martinores strode forth and unleashed a bellowing roar.

"Hear me, now, Johto! We shall capitulate no longer to the whims of these humans! To use them as we see fit is our birthright!" His massive violet body shook with the sheer force as he so spoke. The horn upon his brow gleamed brightly in the noonday light. A finest specimen of the Nidoking species he was.

On the far banks stood the near whole of Johto, ragged and small were they. Many among them fearful that the day of their fate had turned dark. Whispers of fright turned to panic as the Kantonian king roared his decree. The elders, three Xatu, murmured amongst themselves as they peered into the future, desperate to discern a way to survive.

"Make way!" A deep voice resounded from the rear of the crowd. A path cleared as people and Pokemon moved off to the sides to allow the speaker through. An Ivysaur approached the three elders.

"Horatius!" squawked one elder. "Please, do not go. The Kingdra are spawning in the river below, and to fall in is death."

"Long have I kept this bridge, your honors, and good though she may be, with her we can hold back many, while needing just but three. Two brave souls are all I need, to hold their war at bay, a third to scuttle the bridge, and we shall win the day."

A peal of laughter resounded from the crowd and a Misdreavus floated forth. A mirthful smile graced her face as she approached the bridge.

"I am Ra-Ra of Ecruteak, and I have feasted well on the terror of the crowd. I shall hold the bridge at your right side."

Then came forth a Bisharp, helmed by the twin skies of dawn and dusk.

"Though I, Fierabras, descend from Amra, I shall fight for Johto, and hold the bridge at your left side."

And last there came a Hoothoot, whose name was Ganelon. "I shall peck at the supports until they should give way. And then you must come back, after you've won the day."

"Fear not," said Horatius, "I have no intent of death. My purpose is not yet fulfilled here in this world. With Ra-Ra of Ecruteak at my right, and Fierabras the Amrai at my left, the bridge shall hold."

And with that, the three set off, to face the armies of Kanto on Tohjo Bridge.

/s/

"Grandpa, I don't understand. What are all these words like Cerul and Pet?"

"Oh, they are old names for places in Kanto. What was Cerul is now Cerulean City. What was Lave is now called Lavender Town."

"And what about Amra, and Amrai, and what does twin skies mean?"

"'Amra' is the old term for Unova, and 'Amrai' is the old term for someone from Unova. Scholars have long debated the twin skies matter, but have settled on it meaning that Fierabras was a Shiny Bisharp."

"Oh, OK, you can go back to the story now."

"It is good of you to ask questions. Now, where were we? Ah, yes…"

/s/

Horatius marched onto the bridge with his allies. They stared down the Kantonian king. He flinched not, and ordered his men forth. Three Dodrio charged the contingent on the bridge. With one swift movement, Fierabras sliced the legs of one and tossed it into the rampaging waters below. On the other side, Ra-Ra called down the wrath of Raikou, and struck dead another one. But praise must go to Horatius, whose nimble feet guided him backward as the last Dodrio charged him with the full intent of knocking him into the awaiting death below. Thick vines shot from his bulb and wrapped around two of its necks as Horatius deftly stepped aside. The snap of bones was audible on both sides of the river, and Horatius lifted the incapacitated Dodrio and thrust him over the edge.

The armies of Kanto stood agape. Not a scratch was on the heroes of the bridge.

"Go forth, men! And bring me Horatius, that I may have the pleasure of executing him myself."

And now three more charged forward. Umbra, a Scyther well-renowned for his skill with his bladed wings. Aus, an Electabuzz known for his wild rampages which had destroyed entire villages. And Ciminia, a Jynx rumored 'round the world to be the incarnation of winter itself.

Aus battled Ra-Ra, as fate would have them so intertwined He worked himself into a furor and brought a flurry of blows upon the banshee. But she feasted on his rage, and when his wrath was gone, she blasted him to the Kantonian banks with a Shadow Ball the likes of which has never been seen since, and he stood up nevermore. And Ciminia fought Fierabras, and their blows were evenly matched. Her bitter cold shattered Fierabras' blades yet he persevered and cut her down where she stood. And lastly, Horatius fought Umbra. And to him again must most praise go. For Umbra slashed his vines clean off, and Horatius feared a fatal blow. Ra-Ra jumped between, and saved Horatius' life, though she could no longer float in the air, which she'd known would be the price. His vines now regrown and ready, Horatius tore through Umbra's wings. The Scyther lay on the bridge, to further challengers a dire warning.

"Forth!" cried Ginés the Sableye. "Forth and seize the day!" For now it was nearing evening, and the night would give the Johtonians time aplenty to sever the bridge.

"Traitorous wretch!" shouted Horatius. "Go back whence you came, else our reunion be cut short by your demise."

For Ginés, you see, had given away all that he could about Johto to the Kantonian armies, in exchange for being put in a place of power when the war was at its end, though he had told Martinores that it was to protect his family, of which he had none.

"Cowards!" came a bellow form within Kanto's ranks. And strode forth a Haxorus, golden-plated and sharp of jaw. "They are but three warriors. Strong though they may be, time must take its toll. Who will follow me, should I, Aster, clear the way?"

A yell went up from the army, as Aster stood up proud. He approached the bridge calmly, making little in the way of sound. The bridge creaked and shook under his plodding feet, and the trio glanced back at the posts. Ganelon was near done sawing his way through the ropes.

"Come, come," shouted Ganelon. "The bridge is not far from falling."

"Go, my comrades, and await my return."

Fierabras carried Ra-Ra as he walked away from the fight. He turned to see Horatius staring down Aster, and his force of ten thousand men. And so their battle began, and quick though it was to the eye, the most vicious of blows occurred within it. Horatius' Razor Leaves chipped away at Aster's plates, exposing more and more of his soft underbelly as the brawl raged, and Aster's claws ripped at Horatius' vines tearing them anew, and without giving them reprieve to regrow.

And suddenly the battle stopped. And a single small vine was wrapped around Aster, who had sliced both of Horatius' legs open with his whetted maw. Aster wrangled himself free of the vine and began to descend upon Horatius with the intent to kill.

But lo, from the shores of Johto, came a frightening shout.

"Horatius, use Solar Beam!" A very young girl cried out.

And with her cry he remembered that he had long been storing the day's light. He resolved to follow her command, and emitted forth such a great beam of light with such intensity that Aster was no more. Both sides were astounded by Horatius' feat of power. The armies of Kanto had now fallen into disarray at the loss of their greatest warriors. Fierabras and Ra-Ra at last crossed back to Johto. But when they turned and saw Horatius alone, they would have crossed back without a second thought. Alas, it was too late.

"The bridge! The bridge is severed!" cried Ganelon.

The wooden bridge gave way, and beneath Horatius loomed the deathly rapids. He entrusted his fate to Arceus as he fell.

"For love, someone help him!" cried Martinores from Kanto's shore.

"Let him perish!" screamed Ginés. "We must win the day!" And for this callousness, Martinores saw Ginés for what he truly was, and tossed him into the waters, never to be seen again.

Beneath the waves a bulb was seen, desperately attempting to rise above the surface and sinking back down into the depths.

"Horatius, Vine Whip!" The same young girl cried again.

And then, from the depths, within the raging rapids, a thick vine shot out, and wrapped around a sturdy stone on the coastline. And the bulb began to surface. But the vine slipped, and the bulb sank once again.

"Horatius! Vine Whip one more time!"

Two vines shot out and wrapped around the stone. The bulb surfaced again, and this time so did the head of Horatius, gasping for breath. A shout of triumph went up from the banks of Johto, as Horatius dragged himself to the shore. And such was his feat that even the ranks of Kanto gave up a hearty cheer.

And so, Kanto retreated, and their king Martinores gave his word that no human would come to harm in their region, in honor of Horatius, who fought so valiantly. And he carved these words, 'Gyora Tabai', with his own horn upon the pillars of the Kanto side of Tohjo Bridge, and they meant "Here fought the valorous Horatius". And as for Horatius, the child who had given him orders rushed to his side to tend to his wounds. And the elders of Johto asked what he wished, and he asked for no more than to spend the rest of his days with her as her partner. And the elders saw it fit to also give him and his companions on the bridge a great gift of gold, which they used to found a town next to where Tohjo Bridge once stood. And they called it New Bark Town, and spent the rest of their days their together."

/s/

"That was a good story, Grandpa."

"Thank you, Ethan. Now, mind telling me what you're still staring at that girl's Ivysaur for. I'd almost think you want one for your tenth birthday coming up."

"The story might have been good, Grandpa, but no story is gonna convince me not to pick Cyndaquil as my starter Pokemon. But I'm gonna go talk to her."

The boy bounded up to the young woman and stared quizzically at her.

"Yes?" she asked. "Can I help you?"

"Does your Ivysaur have a name?" asked Ethan.

"No, he doesn't," said the woman. "I'm not much one for creativity, so I stick with their species names. Hatched this little guy as a Bulbasaur about five years ago."

"In that case, may I suggest Horatius? My grandpa just finished telling me a wonderful story about an Ivysaur named Horatius."

"Horatius...hmmm, yes, I like it! It sounds strong, and brave. Ivysaur, your new name, starting from today, is Horatius."

"Saur!" agreed the Ivysaur, with the slightest hint of a knowing smile on its face.

THE END


End file.
